Oribatid communities and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected species associated with lichens in a heavily contaminated habitat.

Piotr Skubała,Piotr Osyczka,Kaja Rola

doi:10.1007/s11356-016-6100-z

Abstract

The study examines oribatid communities and heavy metal bioaccumulation in selected species associated with different microhabitats of a post-smelting dump, i.e. three lichen species of Cladonia with various growth forms and the slag substrate. The abundance of oribatids collected from the substrate was significantly lower than observed in lichen thalli. The morphology and chemical properties of lichens, and to some extent varying concentrations of heavy metals in thalli, are probably responsible for significant differences in oribatid communities inhabiting different Cladonia species. Some oribatids demonstrate the ability to accumulate zinc and cadmium with unusual efficiency, whereas lead is the most effectively regulated element by all species. A positive correlation was found between Zn content in all studied oribatids and their microhabitats. Oribatids exploring different food resources, i.e. fungivorous and non-fungivorous grazers, show considerable differences in bioconcentrations of certain elements.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s11356-016-6100-z) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Highlights

Smelting activities are of major concern in terms of metallic pollution in industrial regions
The number of species recorded on lichens was twice that in the dump’s substrate and oribatid mite abundance was 4 times (Cladonia cariosa) to over 35 times (Cladonia rei) higher on thalli than in the corresponding substrate
The comparatively high number of oribatid species in the thallus of lichens is probably due to invasion by soil-inhabiting oribatids. This indicates that lichens constitute a specific habitat which, isolated from the direct influences of the surrounding substrate, seems more suitable for oribatid mites

Summary

Introduction

Smelting activities are of major concern in terms of metallic pollution in industrial regions. The development of vegetation and fauna on heavy-metal-contaminated sites is extremely difficult due to the unfavourable physical and chemical properties of the substrate, as well as the limited pool of species capable of colonising them (Tordoff et al 2000). Such severe habitat conditions lead to the emergence of ecosystems with a specific species composition. The representatives of the lichen genus Cladonia are generally known for their morphological dimorphism: first they produce a primary thallus and variously formed fruticose secondary thalli, called podetia Due to their fruticose nature and relatively high biomass, some Cladonia species appear to be essential and effective rapid colonisers of bare substrates, including

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Conclusion